Saving the Manialtepec Mangroves: the Fight Continues

Many people ask, "What’s happening with the
deforestation of the mangroves in the Manialtepec
Lagoon?" (See ¡Viva Puerto! 4, Snowbirds
vs. Snowbirds) It has been over three months since
the communities located on the banks of the lagoon
registered their complaints about the unlawful cutting of
the mangrove forest for the construction of a raised road
(causeway) measuring approximately 80 meters long
and 4 meters wide in El Palmarito on the southeast end
of the lagoon, and there has been no word of any results.
Naturally, the assumption has been that the protestors
had been bought off. This is assuredly not the case.

Profepa, Manialtepec

While it is true that the Dept. of the Environment
and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) and the Federal
Prosecutor for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA) had
intervened by ordering the closure of this project, they
have taken no action against the party or parties who
violated their seals, even though it is a federal offense to
do so.

The question is: What use are laws like the Wildlife
Protection Act of February 1, 2007 which specifically
prohibits the cutting down of mangroves and adding
landfill for tourism projects or any other reason?

Causeway

As a representative of Las Negras, I went to Oaxaca
on January 18 with other concerned citizens to find out
how the case was progressing with both SEMARNAT and
PROFEPA. What was our surprise when we discovered
that the state office of PROFEPA could not locate the
file! Undeterred, we spent half the day in the complaints
department of PROFEPA while they searched through
stacks of paperwork and finally turned up the Manialtepec
file. Even then, we could not learn anything about
what actions had been taken on our case as it was all
confidential.

Green Heron

Such is the nature of the bureaucracy that even in a
well-documented case which has received ample attention
in the print, electronic and broadcast media, new inspections
and the integration of complaints are required
before the case may proceed along legal channels.
We have stated many times that we are not opposed
to tourist development as a source of new jobs, but not
at the cost of the inheritance of future generations. We
need orderly projects that are designed to preserve the
natural environment.

Frigate

This is the heritage we are going to leave our children,
and we want to preserve this ecosystem for the
thousands of birds which migrate to the lagoon in search
of refuge, and for the fish they eat, and for the fishermen
whose livelihoods depend on it. We will continue firm in
our oppositon to the authorizing of permits by SEMARNAT
and PROFEPA to complete the causeway.

We demand the removal of the landfill that was
brought in and the immediate reforestation of the zone.
This cannot be done by our citizens and those of nearby
communities without the approval of PROFEPA, which is
requiring that the road be left intact until the case is presented
to the appropriate judicial authorities.

We have also submitted a written request to the PROFEPA
State Delegate asking her to facilitate the processing
of the pertinent documents so that the rubble used
for this causeway can be removed. If this landfill is not
removed soon, the life of the mangroves in this zone is
endangered.

Causeway construction site

We know that there is no financial reward or other
compensation that can restore the damage which has
already been done to the flora and fauna of the lagoon,
and we will never consider making a deal to allow this
road to stand. On the contrary, we will continue to fight
for the quick restoration of the wetlands by actively pursuing
all the legal avenues available to us at the state and
federal level.

Editor’s note: This is a slightly abridged translation of
the accompanying Spanish article.

*The author is the
Agente Rural (mayor)
of Las Negras, San
Pedro Mixtepec.